Conflict Brings Measles Back to Central African Republic

When fighting broke out late last year in the Central African Republic late last year, one of the poorest countries on the planet became even worse off. A faltering peace process is currently underway, but instability persists. From a development perspective, the damage has been done.

The economist Paul Collier likes to say that war and conflict is development-in-reverse. Infrastructure is destroyed, human capital is lost, and health systems that were in place prior to the conflict are disrupted.

Via UNICEF, one glaring example of the deleterious health-conflict nexus has been an outbreak of measles in Bangui. The national vaccination program broke down. So measles broke out.